ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University men's lacrosse team hosted Utica College on Saturday in its first home Empire 8 game of the season. After a tight first three quarters, the Saxons (6-2, 2-0 Empire 8) were able to pull away in the final quarter to pick up the 16-5 victory.
Cale Donegan (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post) was on fire once again as he totaled six points on the day to lead AU, including five goals and an assist.
Jack Chapman (Elmira, NY/Notre Dame) and Joe Fornataro (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) each recorded hat-tricks on the day for Alfred. Fornataro also assisted on two goals.
Kyle Landrigan (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua) and Jake McNaney (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post) both scored one goal and assisted on two others.
Anthony Ricottilli (Cortland, NY/Cortland) scored one goal and had one assist while Frank Gavigan (Yorktown, NY/Yorktown) and Peyton VanBibber (Canton, NY/H.C. Williams) each scored a goal.
Ian Chedzoy (Watkins Glen, NY/Watkins Glen), Shane Weber (Hull, MA/Hull) and Noah Soriano (Valley Cottage, NY/Nyack) all assisted on goals. Weber caused a team high five turnovers.
Garrette Briggs (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) was 17-22 on face-offs and picked up a team high 16 ground balls.
Scott Kimiecik (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) was impressive in the net to pick up his second win of the season. Kimiecik played all 60 minutes and finished with 13 saves on the afternoon.
The Saxons were first on the board when McNaney fed Chapman for the early lead just a minute and 28 seconds into the game.
Utica returned fire just before the five minute mark to tie the game at one all before taking a 2-1 lead minutes later.
A late goal in the first from Fornataro ended the first period with the teams tied 2-2.
The second quarter was all Alfred as the Saxons scored the only three goals of the period to send AU into halftime leading 5-2.
Alfred scored early in the third quarter to take a four goal lead before Utica stormed back with two straight to make the score 6-4 at the end of the third quarter.
The momentum shifted the Saxons way in the fourth quarter, as AU outscored the Pioneers 10-1 in the final period to run away with its second Empire 8 victory of the season.
AU will look to carry this momentum into next weekend as they host a tough Stevens Institute of Technology team on Saturday at 1PM.